Taylor
by holstarox
Summary: She's a lady of the night. He comes to her rescue. She refuses and runs away. Based after the destruction of HIVE and before the developement of HIVE Five. Not a very good summary, the story is better than it sounds. Please read. KFxJinx
1. Taylor

**Hey guys, this in one of my first Teen Titans fanfics. It may be a bit strange at first, but please give it a go. I think once you get past the first chapter or two it should be alright.  
>Although I don't even like fanfics with song lyrics in them, I'm basing this story on Jack Johnson's song, Taylor because I find it an eerily beautiful song. I may even mention a few more of his songs, but you can just ignore it.<br>I don't own any characters from DC, but I do own my OC's. Also, I don't own anything of Redeeming Love or any of Jack Johnson's songs.  
>Thanks guys! And please R&amp;R.<strong>

Taylor.

She ran the streets at night, prowling for her next taker. The corner of Queen and St. Andrew's Street was her territory. She knew it, her regulars knew it and her competition knew it. Competition. They were nothing – as useless as the dust collecting on an old book. Worthless. She could tell they knew she was to be feared. Nobody dared cross over her boundaries. It was just the way things worked. She'd keep to her space, and them to theirs.  
>Her corner was popular. No, she was popular. She had more business than anyone else, but she knew it also meant she was most at risk. Multiple times she's been caught and locked up, but it didn't bother her too much. She'd be back on the streets the next day. Nobody could stop her.<br>People came and went. She had regulars and "tourists", as she liked to call them. They didn't really know what they were doing, they just figured it was something they wanted to experience.  
>She didn't think much of them. They were all there for one reason: to take what they want and leave, no strings attached.<p>

It's not like she planned to live like this. It just happened. She was only walking the streets one night, after H.I.V.E was destroyed, when a man pulled up next to her. He held a small wad of cash out the window and whispered sweet nothings to her. She refused, and considered destroying the car, but decided against it, and kept walking. He offered her a larger amount and opened the door for her. She hesitated, and looked left and right.  
><em>What are you thinking?<em> She scolded herself. _Are you really considering this? You can't be serious. _But she was. She didn't have any friends or family to turn to. She had nothing. No home, no money, no career. Of course, she could always rob a bank, but it was hard by herself. Plus, any bet says the Teen Titans would be on her case in no time. She needed this. Maybe just this once. She just needed money to keep her stable for a few days, and then she'd look for real work.  
>Finally she swiped the money from the man's fingers and stepped into the car.<br>That first night had begun her new life, with a new name.

That night had taken away her dignity.

That night she had sold herself to a stranger.

The two returned to his house. He led her to his bedroom, where he opened a small wooden cabinet, filled with numerous glass bottles.  
>"What's your name?" he asked, fixing her a drink.<p>

"Jinx," she said. She sat awkwardly at the end of his bed.

"Jinx, huh? Got any nicknames?"

Jinx thought for a while. People had once called her Lucky to insinuate the fact she was bad luck.  
>"People sometimes call me Lucky, I guess."<p>

"Lucky..." he murmured. "Perfect. It suits you." He handed her a stout glass, which was barely half-full of a clear liquid. "Here," he said.  
>Jinx took the drink in two hands and sipped it. She grimaced at the overwhelming taste of acetone, but before the glass parted from her lips, the man tipped the bottom of the glass upwards, forcing her to swallow the rest in one big gulp. Almost immediately, her head began to swirl and she had to squint her eyes slightly to see straight. One of the light bulbs above her suddenly sparked pink and burst. The man frowned and looked at Jinx. "Are you sure Lucky is more than just a name?" Jinx let out a laugh and simply shrugged innocently.<br>"So, what about you?" she asked, still grimacing at the taste of the drink. He gave her a strange look. "What's your name?"  
>The man turned around to put the bottles back into the cabinet. "Slade."<br>"Slade," she repeated. "I feel like I've heard your name before, but I'm not sure where..." She touched a finger to her lip and trailed off into her own thoughts.  
>Slade stepped closer to her and took the glass from her, placing it on a nearby table. "From now on you'll respond only to the name Lucky. You'll be working for me. Do what you need in order to survive, but whatever money you make, I'll be taking my share. In the future you may work your way up, and then we'll discuss more serious matters." He placed a firm hand on the back of her neck, and she could feel a sharp prick under her hairline. She looked up at Slade and could see he was smirking slightly. She couldn't remember much after that, it was all a blur to her.<p>

That night she had realised something: she could make easy money, just from selling a little bit of her soul each night. And what did it matter? She didn't need a soul. She was evil. Always had been, always will be. And there was nothing she could do about it. She was born bad luck. Her parents had given her up as a child. She moved between foster families for years. As soon as they discovered her powers, they would send her off again. Her life repeated itself in this way for years until Brother Blood discovered her.

"You are not a freak," he had said to her. "You are simply unique. They just don't understand you. You need to be with your own kind." He took her back to H.I.V.E headquarters, where she flourished as a student, and a villain.

She missed that life. It was luxury compared to her life now. Instead of run-down apartments and motels, she had a modern environment with the most up-to-date, advanced technology. Instead of hiding herself from the world during the daytime, she had friends, and was an A+ student. Instead of selling her body to strangers, she had classes to go to, and sometimes even banks to rob.  
>Yep, life was great. In fact, it was as close to perfection as she could imagine. But now she would wake up, asking herself what the point in trying was. Trying to make a better life for herself, when she knew it would never be.<p>

That was until she met a certain boy.

She was working the dark streets, her pink hair blowing in the winter breeze. She wrapped herself in a thin cardigan she had purchased from the local second-hand shop – the same place she bought the majority of her clothing.  
>The Salvos were a God-send for her.<br>She looked up at her barely-visible apartment across the street. It wasn't much warmer there, but at least she'd be shielded from the wind. She considered taking an early night off. As she was debating whether or not to leave, a Mercedes Benz pulled up next to her. She looked at her reflection against the sleek silver body of the car.  
><em>Who'd drive a car like this around here? Were they crazy? <em>She thought to herself. _He'd be mugged within half an hour.  
><em>She sighed and unlatched the door, but as soon as she did the man stepped out the other side. He casually strode over to her and took his wallet from his back pocket. She could barely see his face, it was so dark, and his hat didn't give away any more details to his appearance.

"What's your name?" he asked. His voice was young and soft, like a boy, unlike most of the other men she spoke to.

"Ex-excuse me?" she was rarely asked her name. She was paid to do what she was told, without asking any questions. Only Slade had ever asked her for her name before.

"Your name," he said patiently. "What is it?"

"Lucky, sir." She tried to keep her voice smooth, remembering she was to answer to Lucky, not Jinx.

"Well, then. It's your lucky day." She could almost hear him smirking at his own stupid pun. Like she hadn't heard that one before.  
>He took a some money from his wallet and handed it to her. It looked like a lot of money, which usually meant she'd have to do something so repulsive she couldn't tell anyone about it. Most of the time it'd be some sort of strange fetishes of theirs.<br>She cringed inside. What would she have to do tonight?

"I don't want anything from you," he explained, as if he had read her mind. "I'm just trying to give you a better life."

A better life.

Like she didn't want it already.

But she couldn't. She didn't know how.

"Why me?" she snapped back. She hadn't realised she could be so angry at her own misfortune. "Why not the other girls around here? What's so special about me?"  
>He simply laughed and shook his head, which only made her all the angrier.<p>

"Because I know more about you than you realise." With that he turned back to his car, stopping at the driver's door. "See you soon... Lucky." He hesitated at her name, and seemed to have to force it out.  
>He stepped back into his car and drove into the distance. Lucky watched, frozen, as his indicator shone in the darkness before it turned the corner.<p>

She crossed the empty streets, clutching protectively onto the money.  
>She burst through her apartment door and collapsed on her mattress in the centre of the one-room, one-bathroom apartment. She carefully counted through the money.<p>

"497... 498... 499... 500," she whispered. $500. It was an average night's pay. Only she didn't have to work for it. Who the hell was this guy? He just rolls up, gives her $500 and runs off, asking for nothing in return. It was unheard of, in her world at least.

Lucky shrugged and tossed the money into her keep-safe box and locked it. That box was her everything. Not only was it given to her by her biological mother, and the only thing she saved from H.I.V.E, but it held everything she had ever earned since she came to the streets. It was evidence of her "work". She relied entirely on that money to keep her alive, and there was no way she could replace it. She must have nearly $200,000 in it by now. Only a little more and she would be able to move into a proper apartment, with separate rooms, proper heating, lighting and everything.

The box was silver, encrusted with a few jewels and a lock on the front, the key to which she kept on a chain around her neck. When she thought of it, the box looked quite tacky. But she tried to ignore its appearance, the way she did all with all the men she's ever associated with on the streets.

She sat, running her fingertips over the colourful jewels, letting her mind wander. From her lost parents and foster parents to the H.I.V.E and Brother Blood, from Brother Blood to her life now, and finally, to the mysterious boy who gave her $500. What did he mean by _"I know more about you than you realise"_ and _"I'll see you soon"_?  
>What did he know? Her old life, as a villain? Her family? Her relationship with Slade?<br>Did he really mean what he said, about not wanting anything in return? That he only wants her to have a better life? 

**Hey thanks guys, I really liked writing this. It took me a while, so I hoped you like it too. Also, I know some people think the song Taylor isn't about a prostitute, but most people think it is, so I'll keep it that way.  
>Please keep reading, I promise it'll get better. Remember to R&amp;R!<strong>

**-Tash**


	2. If I Could

**Okay, so this is my second chapter. I really hope you guys like this because, to be honest, I'm pretty much dedicating my life to fanfiction right now. At school I barely even pay attention in class, I'm just writing and writing.  
>Anyway, enjoy this chapter and I'll try to make the next chapters a bit longer.<strong>

If I Could.

Lucky slept late the next day. She woke up midday to the sun shining through her bare window.  
>She could vaguely remember anything from the night before. Had she really spoken to that boy last night? Had she met someone who really wanted to, out of no obligation, help her rebuild her life, with nothing in return? He was insane.<p>

She walked to the window and gazed outside. The sun was hidden behind a street of silver clouds, yet it was still light out. There weren't a lot of people out; the cold winds discouraged them from leaving their houses. The people who were out, however, were moving as fast as they could to get out of the cold, their clothes blowing wildly around.  
>Suddenly her eyes dropped to something directly across the road from her. She ran down the stairs and burst out the front door of the building.<p>

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, unsure as to why she was getting angry.

"I told you I'd see you soon."

Lucky stood still, her face blank. He meant it. He had really come back. "I didn't think you'd come back so soon."

The boy smiled, and shrugged. It was light enough to see his face now, though he was still wearing a hat. His lightly tanned skin was near flawless, with only a few faded freckles around his nose. His eyes were the perfect shade of blue, shining as bright as polished diamonds. They seemed to sparkle when he smiled, as if he were genuinely happy to see her.  
>It took Lucky a few seconds to realise she was staring. Her pink eyes quickly darted to the ground, her blood rushing to her pale face. The boy laughed as her pink cheeks flushed red.<p>

"So," he said, breaking the silence. "Do you want your money or not?"

Lucky nodded nervously and reached for the cash he was holding before her, but before she touched it, he swiped the wad through the air and held it above his head.

"First, I want something else in return."

There it was.

There was always a catch; always a "something else".

How could she be so stupid? Believing he was doing a selfless act, how foolish she was.

"I thought you didn't want anything?"

"I changed my mind."

Of course he did.

Lucky's eyes were cast upon his car, shining charcoal-grey, the way she remembered.  
>The boy suddenly laughed, making her jump slightly. She gave him a strange look and he just grinned back.<p>

"Not that," he said. "I told you I wanted you to have a better life. Doing that would only be going backwards."

He was right. She could see he was telling the truth.

His eyes. That's what gave him away. He had the kind of eyes that always told the truth. No normal person's eyes would twinkle the way his did. They mesmerized her. It was a nice change from the regular milky or bloodshot eyes, always looking over her body. Instead he looked at her. Truly looked at her, into her eyes. He looked at her as if she were something more than an object. As if she had a future.

As if he already knew her.

But she was afraid.

Not of him, but of what he was saying.

She closed her eyes and placed her face in her hands.

"I can't," she said, slowly shaking her head. "I can't have a different life, I don't know any other world." She was lying. She knew a world of robbery and crime. But, then again, this was a crime, too. Either way she was living her life as a criminal. "And my life isn't that bad. I make lots of money, doing what I do. Why fix something that isn't broken?"

_But it is._

The blue-eyed boy shook his head and laughed slightly. It wasn't a humour-filled laugh, though. It was filled with something else. Sadness, perhaps? Bitterness? It made her heart sink. She could feel the blood from her face drain, and was left with an empty feeling.  
>It was a pitiful laugh, she decided. He felt sorry for her. And so did she, in a way. Her life was being watched over by Slade. She worked to make his money, and what does she get in return? A life full of humiliation. Lucky scratched at the back of her neck. She couldn't do anything about him, he was much too powerful.<p>

"You're too scared to turn to a new, better life," the boy said, frowning at the ground. "And yet, every night you get into a man's car, unsure if you'll ever return, without a second thought."

"I can protect myself, thank you," Lucky snapped back. "Besides, it's not like I don't want that life. I just can't. I guess I don't have a choice."

"Of course you do! You can just walk away right now."

Lucky shook her head. _No. He'd come after me._ "And do what? Get myself into a dead-end, minimum wage job? No thanks. I earn more doing this." _Even when he takes half._

"But where will you get yourself doing this? If anyone you met found out you do this as a living, they'd put you back on the streets."

"I survive. If I didn't have this, I wouldn't have anything. And for your information, I know people who support me and what I do." He raised his eyebrows at this.

"Like who?"

Lucky shook her head. "I've said too much." She began to walk away when the boy caught her hand.

"Come with me," he said quietly.

"What?"

He looked up at her, his blue eyes burning into hers.

"Come with me. I'll show you the life you can have; the life you deserve."  
><em>But I can't just leave Slade, can I? <em>Lucky scoffed. "Unlikely. I don't even know your name, and you want me to go with you?"

"Isn't that what you do each night? Can you honestly tell me you ask the names of all the men you go home with?"

Lucky bit her lip nervously. "It's different. I'm guessing this isn't going to be a one-night-stand. You're not just going to leave me alone, are you?"

"No, I'm not," he admitted. "Well then, my name's Wally. Wally West." He held his free hand out towards her. She raised an eyebrow and slowly shook it.

"So what made you come to this?" he asked.  
>Lucky shrugged. "It's complicated."<p>

"But why this? Why not just be a beggar?"

"Can we not talk about this?" she retorted.

"Sure. What, or who, made you come to this?"

"I said I didn't want to talk about this."

"You said you didn't want to talk about why you didn't become a beggar. I asked what made you come to this?"

She sighed. Why was he so curious in her? It didn't make any sense. "I've just always been an outcast, okay? Never belonged anywhere. Never had one friend. Until I met someone, only a year or two back. He showed me how to live on my own."

"He? A guy told you to become a hooker, and you listened?"  
>Lucky glared at the Wally. "Don't call me that. I hate that word."<p>

"What would you prefer me to use? Prostitute? Call girl? Harlot? Whore? Mistress? Lady of the night?"

"Lucky's fine, if you must."

"Fine, Lucky. I know you're miserable. I know you don't want to do this. I mean, who does?" She could see his eyes were filled with concern. "Why don't you just try coming with me? I promise I'll do my best to show you how much better life can be, if you just knew how to live it right."

"Why do you keep coming back to this? I told you I don't want to go with you! I'm never getting into that car!" she gestured towards his shining car.  
>Wally's mouth twisted into a scowl. "Fine." He stepped into the car and slammed the door shut. Lucky heard the engine start as she watched him through the open driver's window. He geared the car into drive and paused, just before a clipped wad of money was tossed towards Lucky. "Forgot your money," he said dryly, before speeding off into the distance.<p>

Lucky headed back to her apartment, again tossing the money into her silver box and sat with her back against the wall, her knees drawn up to her chest for warmth. _Why is he here? What is his interest in me? Isn't it obvious I don't want another life? _

_Did I? _

_No, it doesn't work that way. You can't just change sides in this world to suit your likings. Life's not a fairytale._

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door. Cautiously, she stood to answer it. _It had better not be Wally again. I swear, if it is..._ her face lit up as she saw a familiar face at the door.  
>"Hello, again, Lucky," he said. "It's been a while."<p>

**Hey guys! Thanks again for reading. I know, it's been a short chapter, right? Sorry, I tried to extend it, but I also wanted to leave a bit of a cliff-hanger.  
>bearrose: Thanks soo much, I'll try to update soon. Also, I think I added a bit of stuff to the first chapter after your review, which you might want to check out, because it's sort of important to the story :)<br>So thanks again guys, and please remember to R&R**

**-Tash**


	3. Who's To Say

**Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm changing everything after I've already posted it, and I'm sooo sorry, but I keep getting ideas and stuff. Sorry for any inconvenience, but if you want you could just scan over the first chapter to see what I've changed. Sorry for any inconvenience, I'll try to tone it down a bit.  
>Sorry for the veryyy late update, lately my brother's been stealing my laptop on a daily basis. <strong>

Who's To Say.

He held a thick coat out to her, which she quickly threw over herself.

"How have you been?"

"Cold," she answered honestly.

Without a word, he stepped into the room and walked straight to her silver box. He looked back at her, eyebrow raised, and she walked over to him, unlocking the box with the key she kept on her necklace, and handing it back. He carefully counted the notes, splitting them into two piles, tucking one into his jacket. He smirked at Lucky and walked to the door.

"Come with me."

Wally had said the same thing, but she didn't go. Something about the way Slade said it, as if it were a command, made her obey. She felt as if she were a tame dog. He led her to his car, and she automatically slipped into the passenger's seat. They drove in silence until the car rolled to a stop in an arched marble driveway.

Slade walked to Lucky's door and opened it with courtesy before she followed him into his house, seating herself in the living room, before an open fire. She tugged sharply at her coat sash, hoping to make herself warmer. Without a word, Lucky watched Slade leave the room. As soon as he turned the corner three head poked out from the doorway; two boys and one girl.  
>The girl closely resembled Slade, with hair as white as snow, one blue eye and a white patch covering the other, while the two boys had golden blonde locks, the older boy had deep blue eyes, the same as the girl's, while the other had shining green eyes.<br>The girl looked to be about fourteen, the boy with blue eyes was more mature, perhaps in his early twenties, while the second boy, the one with green eyes, seemed to be around the same age as herself.

The older boy caught Lucky's attention. He looked familiar to her, though she couldn't place where she had seen him. Before she could remember, the trio suddenly disappeared, Slade reappearing from the opposite side of the doorway. He looked in the direction the three had been and slowly shook his head, walking over to Lucky.

"Please excuse my kids."

_Kids? The guy she was working for had kids?_

"No worries. What're their names?" she asked, hoping to recognise the boy's name.

Slade gave her a suspicious look, as if he knew she wanted information, but continued anyway. "My oldest son is Grant, the other is Joseph and my daughter is Rose."

Grant? As in Grant Wilson, H.I.V.E Academy senior? She had seen him walking the corridors before, but never knew him personally.

Slade handed Lucky a rounded glass. She pressed her lips to the rim, tipping it backwards. It was not a strong as the last drink, and it felt warm as it trickled down her throat. She didn't part from the glass until it was dry, and held it back to Slade when she had finished.

"Why am I here?" She didn't bother holding back from him, she had nothing to lose anyway.

"I have a proposition for you."

Lucky said nothing, only raising an eyebrow, so he continued.

"The boy you were with. What do you know about him?"

"How did you-"

"I've been monitoring you since our last visit, Lucky. Now, what do you know about him?"

Her eyes dropped to the floor and she thought for a while. She never really gave him a chance to tell her about himself. "His name is Wally West, and he drives a silver Mercedes. That's all I know."

Slade nodded thoughtfully. "And he asked you to go home with him?"

"I guess so..." _Where was he going with this?_

"I want you to go with him."

Her eyes shot back to Slade's face. "What? Why?"

"I feel it can be very... useful. I am willing to pay a fair compensation for it." He reached into his back pocket, retrieving his wallet, and counted out $200 in notes.

"What is your interest in him? He is only a harmless boy."

"He seems harmless to you now, but you will soon see how much of a threat he is to us."

Lucky bit her lip and stared at the money he was holding before him. She cautiously plucked it from his fingers and smiled deviously. "I'll do it."

She woke with an abrupt start to the sound of a car horn. She walked to her window and, to no surprise, saw Wally looking up at her from his car. She picked up loose clothes from the floor, her purple and black tights, Slade's coat, and a pair of black leather boots, pulling them all on a fast as she could. Stopping at the door, she turned back to grab her silver box. There was no way she was leaving it behind.

Clearing a flight of stairs in one jump, she realised she was unusually excited to see him. Before she reached the front door, she stopped to calm herself.

_What's wrong with me? _She cringed inside. _Why am I so excited to see him?_

She stepped outside as nonchalantly as she could and strode over to his car. Snatching the money from his hand on her way, she rounded the car to the passenger seat. "Your offer still open?"

He looked taken aback and had to take a few seconds to register what she had just asked, regaining his usual laid-back persona. "Always is," he said with an askew grin and a quick wink.

Her lip twitched as she resisted a grimace. She became agitated when he simply stared at her. "Well?"

He snapped out of his trance and gave a short laugh. "Sorry. Your eyes are just so... Elusive."

_Elusive? Is he trying to seduce me? _"Um, thanks. Now can we just go?"

He stepped into the car and revved the engine on. Before she had even completely closed the door the car was speeding down the street.

"Are you crazy? Slow down, or else you'll kill us both!" The car's speed suddenly dropped by at least 10kph.

"Sorry. I sort of have the tendency to speed a bit. I like to do things fast." He glanced at her nervously as if he had said something he shouldn't have.

**Oh. My. God. Finally! I've been on this for like two weeks now and I've finally finished! FINALLY! Even though it's not much, at least it gives you a little bit of info about what's going to happen, this chapter was really just a filler. It actually means so little to me because hardly anything happened in it.  
>I'm sooooo so so so so so sorry it took this long, I don't even know why it took so long, but I just wanna thank the people who've stuck by me, reviwed, favourite, subscribed, etc. Just so you know I do check the traffic stats for this story every day, so thanks soo much to the people who keep coming back to this story.<strong>


	4. Broken

**Thanks, guys, for sticking by me even though I haven't been updating as much as I should be.  
>Anyways, this chapter is pretty much just Jinx and Wally getting to know each other, so it's a bit of a filler, but it's sort of important, I guess. I hope you enjoy! Please R&amp;R.<strong>

Broken

The car ride was long and silent, despite the fact Wally sped wherever he was free of police or security cameras.

The car stopped outside a long, two-story building made up of several units. It easily beats the usual sleazy motel she's taken to. Just as she reached for the door handle, Wally suddenly appeared and unlatched the door for her. He offered his hand to her, but she ignored it and pushed past him.

"I don't need your help," she snapped. "I'm only here because it's the only way to stop you from asking me again."

"Sorry, I was only trying to be polite."

"Well, don't. I'm fine." She brushed him to the side as she trudged up the stairs to the front, waiting impatiently for him to catch up. He jingled his keys, searching for the right one and unlocked the door, which lead to a large, open lobby.

The columns looked as if they were made of solid white marble, as did the floor tiles. She could hear the echo of her every step against the hard stone. She tilted her head from side to side, evaluating the room. "Not too shabby, West."

Wally ignored her comment and walked straight to the elevator doors next to the spiralling staircase. He flicked the "up" button and, almost immediately, the doors opened before him. He had to hold the door to wait for the mesmerised Lucky. She drifted through the doors of the elevator, leaning into the far corner. She watched the floor buttons light up as they rose. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The doors opened at the sixth floor to a long, white hallway. It seemed so clean and perfect she could imagine it belonging in a movie.

She followed Wally through the high-ceiling hall until he stopped at door 608. The tumbler lock clicked and the door swung open to reveal a large, modern apartment interior. She scoped the room, evaluating the colourful furniture and ornaments.

"Uh, yeah. Just make yourself at home." Wally disappeared into the hallway as Lucky sprawled across the red couch in the main room.

Within a moment Wally had returned and jumped into a nearby armchair. His eye caught the reflection of light shining off the silver box. "What's in the box?"

"Money."

"You... Take it everywhere you go?"

"No, but did you see the neighbourhood I live in? What kind of idiot leaves a box of money lying around?"

"Good point."

"Don't you have somewhere to be? It's Sunday morning. You have a job or church or anything?"

"Sure I do. But I guess you could say it's casual, so I just go when I'm needed, and I don't go to church all that much."

"What about school? I've seen you outside my window on weekday mornings."

"I stop by on my way to school."

"You go to school on my side of the tracks?" she asked sardonically.

"Well, it may not be in that direction, but I guess I just like taking the long way."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. _This guy is so stupid._ "So how does a guy like you afford all this stuff, anyway?"

"A guy like me?"

"Well, you know. Young, irresponsible."

"I'm irresponsible? This is coming from a girl who sells her body to make a living?"

"The same girl you took home."

He scowled slightly at her comment. "There's a difference, you know."

"Whatever. So do your parents buy you this stuff? They must be loaded."

"Nah, I just know people."

"Oh, I get it. Five finger discount, right?" She lifted her hand, wriggling her fingers.

"I don't need to steal to make a living."

"Please. We've all done it."

"Not me," he said proudly, pressing a thumb to his chest.

"Oh? Then how do you afford it?"

"They're gifts."

"Because people always give away million dollar cars as presents."

"Maybe gift isn't the right word. It's sort of like a repayment."

"A repayment for what? Washing their cars? Walking their dogs?"

"Saving their lives."

Lucky glared at him. "Yeah, right. What're they really from?"

"Seriously. For example, last year there was a fire here, on the third floor. I helped put it out, so they gave me a big discount on this place."

"And the car?"

"An armed robbery."

"So they gave you a car?"

"Would've lost it either way, right? I guess I just deserved it more. Plus the guy kinda broke the rear window."

"How do you do it?"

"What? Help people? I dunno, because it's the right thing to do?"

"Please, don't get all "Good Samaritan" on me. I mean, you put out fires, catch criminals. How?"

"That's just one of my many secrets."

"Yeah, I know how that goes," she sighed.

"Everybody has secrets; it's nothing to be ashamed about."

She grimaced at his words. _Is he always this optimistic? _"But you don't know me. You don't know what I've done, what I can do."

"I know that none of that matters."

"It doesn't matter? Breaking the law doesn't matter? I've hurt people. Are you telling me that doesn't matter?"

"Not when you're willing to make a change."

She looked back at him, into his honest, crystal-blue eyes. They were soft and forgiving. Sympathetic, almost. For a moment his calm expression reflected onto her face before she snapped her eyes shut, frowning. _Trust no one._

She shook her head dismissively. "What do you know, anyway?"

"I know more about you than you think."

She remembered the first time he said that, in front of her apartment. "Stop saying that!" She could feel the anger building up inside of her. She kept her eyes shut in fear Wally would see them glowing.

"Saying what?"

"Saying you know me! You don't know the first thing about me, nobody does!" Her fists balled up as she strived to contain her energy.

There was a silence before Wally spoke. "Maybe you should let people get to know you, get closer to you."

Suddenly all her anger dissolved and her eyes dimmed. She opened them to see him still gazing at her. "Everyone I grow close to gets hurt."

"You feel like you can't have friends or family because you might reveal your secret."

It wasn't a question, she could tell. She was silent for a moment. He seemed to be the first person to understand her. Her throat tightened as she imagined the possibility of someone knowing exactly how she feels.

"Exactly," she whispered.

"Then you're just looking in the wrong places."

"I used to fit in, but I lost everyone I knew, when our school was destroyed."

Wally's eyes momentarily flickered to the ground and he shifted awkwardly in his seat.

"What was that?"

He looked back up at her. "...What?"

"That look, what was it?"

"What look?"

"That nervous glance. Do you know something about the destruction of H.I.V.E?"

**Well, well, well. I finally finished, and I'm so sorry about the five-week wait. And for the people leaving comments, if you have criticism, please make it constructive so I can change it for the better. If anyone has suggestions for my story or writing, or anything else, feel free to email me at .au **

**Thanks.**


	5. ALERT READERS

Okay guys, I've decided I hate this and I think I've left some things out, or I need to change some things, so I'm going to delete this copy and rewrite it. I'll post a new chapter with the link to the new version soon.

Sorry everyone xxxx


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